Mannington Files Appeal in Home Legend Dispute

Rome, GA, May 6, 2013 -- Mannington Mills in April was handed a setback in a copyright-infringement dispute with laminate maker Home Legend over a line of maple-look laminate.

The matter now heads to the Circuit Court of Appeals.

In U.S. District Court, Mannington alleged that Home Legend sold a product called Distressed Maple Mendocino that was essentially the same as Mannington's Glazed Maple Design. Mannington launched its product in 2008 and filed a copyright in 2010, according to court documents.

Mannington was seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent Home Legend from selling its product, which is mostly sold through Home Depot as a special order, according to the complaint. Home Legend began selling its product at Home Depot in 2010.

Mannington said it was losing stocking positions at independent retailers because they could obtain a similar product from another source.

The court found that it wasn't clear that Mannington had a valid copyright or that it could be defended in court. In addition, the court said that Mannington did not show that it would suffer irreparable harm without an injunction, and that the companies would likely suffer equal harm if the injunction were to be granted. Finally, the court said it wasn't clear that an injunction would serve the public interest.

After the intial FloorDaily report on the ruling, Mannington said the issue hasn't been settled because the firm has filed an appeal with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

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